James bryant thomas



No. 627,449. Patented June 20, I899. J. B. THOMAS.

CAR COUPLING.

(Application. filed Jan. 11, 1898.)

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No. 627,449. Patented June 20, 1899.

J. B. THOMAS.

GAR COUPLING.

(Application flld Jam 11, 1898.) (No llodel.)

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Jame-sBThamws, l c tm- NITED STATES V PATENT Enr ca.

JAMES BRYANT THOMAS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN RAILWAY SUPPLY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,449, dated June 20, 1899. Application filed January 11, 1898. Serial No. 666,334. (No modelJ To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BRYANT THOMAS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of draw-heads of. the

J anney type and to prevent two draw-heads when coupled from twisting laterally and straining the knuckle and the draft mechanism while rounding curves'and to provide in connection withdraw-heads having a free lateral movement means for retaining them in substantial alinement when coupled.

A further object of the invention is to enable draw-heads capable of such lateral move-, ment to couple automatically on curves or in any other position which they may assume.

Another object of the invention is to enable draw-heads to be readily uncoupled and to provide an uncoupling mechanism adapted to conform to the movements of a draw-head and capable of preserving the proper relation between its parts and the draw-head at all times and under all conditions, so that the position of a draw-head will not in any manner affect the operation of uncoupling.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a car. Fig. 2isa plan view, partly in section, showing two draw-heads coupled. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the draw-head. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the manner of suspending the draw-head from a car. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the latch for engaging the arm of the knuckle Fig. 6 is a detail view of the weighted lever.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-head having its drawbar 2 connected'with a car 3 in the manner shown and describedin my PatentNo. 594,579, dated November 30, 1897, and the said drawhead, which is capable of lateral vibration to avoid straining the draft-timbers and the frame of the car, is suspended from the latter by means of a swinging stirrup 4, constructed and operating in accordance with the said patent.

The shank or draw-bar is connected by a pin with a draft-bolt 5, which has the spiral spring6 disposed on it and interposed between follower-blocks 7, the latter being mounted in ways of draft-irons 8.

The stirrup 4, which depends from the sill 9 of the car, is composed of vertical sides 10 and a bottom piece 11, connecting the lower ends of the sides 10. The sides 10 pass through openings of the sill 9 and arepivotally connected at their upper ends to the car. The stirrup, which is adapted to swing laterally of the car, is also capable of a limited longitudinal swing in order to yield to any longitudinal thrust of the car-coupling.

The draw-head is provided at one side with perforated cars 12 to receive a knuckle-pin 13, which pivots a knuckle 14, and the other side 15 of the draw-head presents a straight front face which is disposed at an angle to provide a flaring mouth or guide for directing a knuckle into engagement with the knuckle 14. The an gularly disposed tapering guiding side of the draw-head increases the width of the same and cooperates with the lateral swinging of the same to the extent that it enables two draw-heads to couple automatically from any position which they may assume, whether on a curve or straight track, by guiding the knuckles into engagement. The point of the tapering guiding side of the draw-head is located in substantially the same transverse plane as the outer face of the knuckle when the latter is closed, and it extends laterally and lies in a longitudinal plane beyond the limit of the swing of the knuckle of an opposing draw head, whereby such knuckle will strike the straight guide-face at a point between the ends of the guiding side or arm and be directed inward and closed by a glancing blow only.

The draw-head is provided at its knuckle side with a vertical flange or wing 16, extending outward laterally and forming an abutment for the guiding side of another drawhead, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. The lateral extension or wing 16 of one draw-head is located directly opposite the extremity of the guiding side 15 of the other draw-head, and when the two draw-heads are coupled the abutments and the guiding sides 15 are slightly separated to permit the draw-heads to have a lateral play or twisting movement on each other of about four or five degrees; but the construction of the draw-head will prevent any greater twisting and will resist all strain tending to cause them to assun1e a greater angle. By this construction the draw-heads are caused to remain in substantial alinement even while cars are passing around curves, as the rigging will permit the necessary bodily movement of the draw-heads.

The nose or extremity of the guiding side of each draw-head is located a considerable distance in advance of the wing or flange 1G, and when these abutting portions of two draw-heads are in contact the knuckles have a slight play, and by this construction and arrangement the said knuckles are not subjected to and injured by the blows incident to coupling.

The wing or extension 16 is supported by a horizontal web or flange 17, arranged at the rear face of the wing or extension and connecting the same with the side of the drawhead. The extended guiding side of the drawhead is supported by a horizontal brace 18, which is substantially rectangular, forming a rectangular opening 19 at one side of the draw-head to receive the adjacent side 10 of the stirrup. The brace 18 consists of transverse front and rear portions and a connecting side portion arranged parallel with the shank or draw-bar. In order to strengthen the brace and at the same time avoid unbalancing the draw-head, it is provided at its inner and outer edges with vertical marginal flanges 20 and 21, projecting from the upper and lower faces of the brace 18. The body portion of the brace, which is horizontal, is located midway between the upper and lower faces of the draw-head, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

The arm of the knuckle is provided with a V-shaped notch 22 and is engaged by a pivoted latch 23, which is provided with a head 24L for engaging the V-shaped notch. The latch, which is mounted upon a vertical shaft or pivot 25, is provided at its outer end, adjacent to the shaft or pivot, with a shoulder or projection 26, adapted to abut against a corresponding shoulder 27 of the inner face of the adjacent side of the draw-head to limit the movement of the latch.

The Vertical shaft or pivot 25, which extends below the draw-head, is provided at its bottom with a horizontal arm 28, extending beneath the car-coupling and having its outer end upturned to form a pivot 29 for one end of a rod or bar 30, which connects the latch with a weighted lever 3i. The weighted lever 31, which is mounted on a horizontal shaft or rod 32, consists of an L'shaped or bell-crank body portion and an arm 33, extending from one arm of the bell-crank body portion of the lever at right angles to the same. The arm 33, which is disposed beneath the shank or draw-bar, is provided at its outer end witha pivot or projection 34, which is connected with the rear or inner end of the rod or bar 30. The rod or bar 30, which is provided at its ends with perforations, is secured to the pivots 2f) and 34 by means of suitable keys or pins.

The shaft or rod 32, which is disposed transversely of the car, is arranged loosely in an opening of a bracket 35 and has its inner end journaled on the draw-head, or rather the shank or draw-bar thereof,bein g arranged in a perforation 36 and secured to the shank or draw-bar by a pin or key located within the same, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 2 of the accom panying drawings. The transverse rod or shaft, which is adapted to slide longitudinally through the opening of the bracket 35, is capable of following and conformingto the lateral and longitudinal movements of the drawhead, to which the uncoupling mechanism is directly connected, whereby the uncoupling mechanism is adapted to remain at all times in proper relation with the draw-head, so that the position or movements of the same will not in any manner affect the operation of the uncoupling mechanism. The uncoupling mechanism, by being mounted directly on the draw-head, is capable of operating effectively on curves, as well as on a straight track, and as the draw-heads are maintained in substantial alinement any strain on them will not render the uncoupling mechanism ineffective.

The engaging end of the latch presents a bevel-face to the arm of the knuckle, so that when the knuckle closes its arm is adapted to engage the latch automatically, and the latch is maintained in engagement with the knuckle and is held normally in position for such automatic engagement by means of a weight 36, arranged at the end of the rear arm of the bell-crank body portion ofthe lcver 31. The body portion of the lever 31 is fixed at its angle to the transverse rod or shaft 32, and the latter is provided at its outer end with a crankhandle, by means of which the weighted lever may be readily oscillated to release the knuckle.

The draw-head is provided at its bottom with a forwardly-extending arm 37, arranged at a slight inclination and bolted or otherwise secured to the draw-head to form a support for preventing a draw-head from dropping out of engagement with another and falling upon the trackshould such draw-head become disconnected from its car.

The invention has the following advantages: The car-couplingis simple and comparativel y inexpensive in construction, and the improvements do not lessen or in any wise impair its strength and durability. The draw-heads, while having free lateral movement to avoid straining the draft timbers or frames of cars, are retained in substantial alinement while rounding curves and are prevented from straining their knuckles by lateral twisting. The draw-heads are also adapted to couple automatically under all conditions and from any position they are capable of assuming, owing to their lateral movements, and their knuckles are positively guided into engagement. The uncoupling mechanism conforms to the movement of the draw-head, and its parts preserve their proper relation with the sameat all times and under all conditions, so that the position and movements of the drawliead do not in any manner interfere with or affect the operation of uncoupling.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided at its knuckle side with a flange or wing, the other side of the drawhead being tapered and provided with a straight angularly-disposed inner guidingplate and being extended laterally and forwardly, the point of the tapered side being located in substantially the same transverse plane as the outer face of the knuckle and lying in a longitudinal plane beyond the limit of the swing of the knuckle of an opposing draw-head, whereby such knuckle will engage the guiding-face at a point between its ends and will be closed by a glancing blow, the extended sides and the flanges or wings being arranged to abut against each other to prevent the knuckles from being injured, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a car, a stirrup depending from the car, a drawhead supported by the stirrup and adapted to swing laterally and having one side extended laterally at an angle to form a guide, aknuckle pivoted to the other side of the draw-head, and a substantially rectangular brace connecting the extended side of the draw-head with the shank or draw-bar and forming an opening to receive the adjacent side of the stirrup, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a car, a stirrup depending therefrom, a drawhead supported by the stirrup andhaving one side extended laterally at an angle to form a guide, a knuckle pivoted to the other side,

and a substantially horizontal brace connecting the outer portion of the extended side of the draw-head with the shank or draw-bar and forming an openingfor the adjacent side of the stirrup, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a car, a draw-head provided at one side with a knuckle and having its other side extended to form a guide, a substantially rectangular base connecting the extended side of the draw-head with the shank or draw-bar andprovided at its upper and lower faces with inner and outer marginal flanges, a wing extending from the other side of the draw-head, and a flange or web arranged in rear of and supporting the wing, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupling,'the combination of a car, a draw-head mounted thereon and capable of lateral vibration and longitudinal movement, a knuckle pivoted to the draw-head, a latch for locking the knuckle in its closed position, a transverse rod or shaft extending from one side of the car to the draw-bar or shank of the draw-head journaled at its outer end and loosely supported by the car, said rod or shaft being capable of movinglongitudinally and swinging laterally to yield to the movements of the draw-head, and a weighted lever carried by the rod or shaft and connected with the latch, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination of a car, a draw-head mounted thereon and capable of lateral vibration, a pivoted knuckle, a latch for locking the knuckle in its closed position, a transverse rod or shaft journaled on the shank or draw-bar and moving with the same, a weighted lever mounted on the rod or shaft and consisting of a bell-crank body portion and an arm extending from one end of the same, and connections between the arm and the latch, substantially as described.

7. In a car-coupling, the combination of a car, a draw-head capable of vibration, at pivoted knuckle, a latch, a vertical pivot connected with the latch, depending from the draw-head and provided with a horizontal arm, a transverse rod or shaft journaled on the shank or draw-bar of the draw-head and loosely connected with the car, a lever mounted on the rod or shaft and consisting of a bellcrank body portion provided at one end with a weight and at the other end with an arm, and a rod or bar connecting the arms of the pivot and the lever, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES BRYANT THOMAS.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, RoB'r. E. CRUMP. 

